On this day in 1984: Duran Duran stared a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “The Reflex.” The single entered the Hot 100 in America on April 21, 1984 at #46. It became Duran Duran’s first of two singles to hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (for 2 weeks) […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 22nd
On this day in 1981: Mark Chapman pleaded guilty to the charge of murdering John Lennon in 1980. He was later sentenced to 20 years to life. On this day in 1985: Bryan Adams started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with ‘Heaven’, his first #1 single in America. “Heaven” was […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 21st
On this day in 1980: Lipps Inc. were starting their fourth and final week at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Funkytown”. ‘Funkytown’ was written by musician, composer, and record producer Steven Greenberg and sung by Cynthia Johnson. The song expresses the singer’s pining for a metaphorical place that will “keep me movin’, keep me groovin’ […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 20th
On this day in 1981: Dutch studio group Stars On 45 went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with the “Stars On 45 Medley.” Its official title in the US and Canada (as on the record and in Billboard and RPM) is “Medley: Intro Venus/Sugar Sugar/No Reply/I’ll Be Back/Drive My Car/Do You Want To […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 19th
On this day in 1982: Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney started their SIXTH week at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Ebony And Ivory’. The song gave McCartney his 24th U.S. #1 as a songwriter. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say “black notes, white notes, and you need to play the […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 18th
On this day in 1988: Rick Astley went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Together Forever.” It would spend on week in the top spot. It was Astley’s second and final U.S. chart-topper. It reached #2 in the UK, being denied the top spot by Neighbours star and fellow Stock Aitken Waterman artist Kylie Minogue with […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 17th
On this day in 1987: Florida real estate agent Vittoria Holman sued Motley Crue and their concert promoter for hearing loss allegedly incurred at a concert in December 1985. Holman and her daughter had front row seats less than 10 feet from the speakers. The case was settled out of court with the band’s insurance […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 16th
On this day in 1982: Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott died following sustained cocaine and heroin addiction. During the mid-1970s, Honeyman-Scott met future Pretenders bandmate Pete Farndon while the bassist was playing with Cold River Lady in Hereford (Melody Maker, 1979). In 1978, Farndon recruited Honeyman-Scott for a series of Pretenders rehearsals and recording sessions, and he officially […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 15th
On this day in 1981: Duran Duran released their debut studio album which reached #3 on the UK Albums Chart and remained in the UK top 100 for 118 weeks. In the U.S., the album reached #10 on the Billboard 200, and spent 87 weeks on that chart. Singles from the album included the UK […]
This Day In 80s Music, June 14th
On this day in 1980: Billy Joel started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart with ‘Glass Houses’, his second U.S. #1 album. The album features four Top 40 hits including Joel’s first song to peak at #1 on Billboard’s Pop Singles chart, ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.’ On this […]